South Africa back Kagiso Rabada ahead of WTC final

JOHANNESBERG: Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Tuesday, expressed full support for ace pacer Kagiso Rabada as he returns from a drug ban and prepares to lead the Proteas attack in next month’s ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia.

The CSA leadership voiced strong confidence in Rabada’s ability to perform and reaffirmed that he is ready to refocus on cricket.

Rabada recently completed a one-month suspension after testing positive for what the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) classified as a ‘substance of abuse’ following a SA20 match in January this year.

Despite the controversy, CSA’s leadership has rallied behind Rabada, with head coach Shukri Conrad, while speaking at a press conference in Johannesburg, emphasising the pacer's readiness and mental resilience.

“The biggest thing for me was whether KG is all right,” Conrad said. “He served his sentence. All I am interested in now is KG producing the performances we know he is capable of."

Test captain Temba Bavuma echoed Conrad’s remarks and vowed that the pacer will get the support if needed.

“If there is an issue, he will get the support he needs. If it was just recklessness, then he will deal with it. The media noise and sledging — he can handle that,” Bavuma said.

CSA Director Enoch Nkwe confirmed the incident occurred ‘out of competition’ and noted the board’s limited ability to comment earlier due to SAIDS protocols.

“Unless the individual chooses to speak publicly, it remains a private matter,” Nkwe explained.

It is pertinent to mention that Kagiso Rabada failed a doping test on January 21, 2025, following the SA20 match between MI Cape Town and Durban Super Giants.

He was officially notified of the result on April 1, 2025, while he was in India for the IPL. Two days later, his franchise, Gujarat Titans (GT), announced that Rabada had returned to South Africa, citing ‘personal reasons’ after appearing in just two matches.